Over 30 Travellers Kidnapped By Terrorists Who Blocked Abuja-Kaduna Road For About One Hour
No fewer than 30 travellers were on Sunday kidnapped along the Abuja-Kaduna highway.
SaharaReporters reported on Monday that a former federal lawmaker and social activist, Senator Shehu Sani, confirmed that a group of terrorists on Sunday blocked the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway and abducted scores of passengers.
Sani had revealed this in a post on X platform (formerly Twitter) saying that the incident happened near Kateri village around 9pm.
The former lawmaker had added that politicians from the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and opposition parties were among those who escaped being abducted by the terrorists.
“The bandits, armed with AK-47 rifles, blocked the road for about 45 minutes, opening fire and forcing travellers out of their vehicles at gunpoint,” Suleiman Dan Baba, a local resident said.
Similarly, Samaila Shehu, another resident from nearby Jere, noted that over 30 travellers were taken hostage at the scene. The bandits reportedly split into groups, extending their reach to nearby Bishini and Kokore communities, abducting several villagers.
Shuaibu Adamu Jere, a community leader, recounted a relative’s narrow escape near the attack site. “The operation lasted around 45 minutes. A driver was shot, and two vehicles were left abandoned,” he said.
An anonymous lawyer from Katari confirmed the blockade but was unsure about the abductions. “Soldiers stationed near Katari eventually repelled the bandits,” he mentioned.
Samuel Aruwan, the Kaduna State overseeing commissioner for internal security and home affairs, and ASP Mansir Hassan, the state Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, both told Daily Trust that they would investigate the incident further.
